The School of Management (SOM) at the University of Michigan-Flint received continued accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the premier accrediting body for business schools worldwide. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. With reaffirmation, the School of Management is celebrating more than 30 continuous years of accreditation by AACSB International.
AACSB International accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and it aligns with the School of Management’s mission of continuous commitment to improvement through the delivery of innovative high-quality programs, intellectual research contributions, high standards of integrity and ethics, and engagement in local and global communities.
Since the five-year continuous improvement review, the School of Management has introduced online availability of the following programs: Master of Business Administration, MS in Accounting, MS in Leadership and Organizational Dynamics, and Bachelor of Business Administration programs. In addition, UM-Flint’s Online BBA degree, ranked #1 in Michigan for 2021 and 2022 and top 40 in the country by U.S. News & World Report, is now much more affordable for out-of-state residents. The online bachelor’s program, with a lowered out-of-state tuition now just 10% above that of in-state, represents one of the best values in Michigan and across the country. Reflecting market trends, the School has also created new undergraduate programs by introducing a two-course special topic on Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, adding a new Business Analytics minor, and developing a joint (4-1) BBA/MBA program where qualified undergraduate BBA students can complete an MBA degree with up to 21 fewer credits than if the MBA degree were pursued separately.
AACSB International credits the School of Management with strongly supporting students in their pursuit of international experiences. SOM has developed its own relationship with international institutions which lead to two new student exchange programs in France and Germany in addition to the other partnered universities in Belgium, Croatia, Turkey, Taiwan, Poland, Romania, and Sweden.
The School of Management has expanded the online availability of professional development and networking opportunities, in coordination with the undergraduate career development requirement aimed at differentiating UM-Flint’s BBA program and enhancing students ‘career preparation.
AACSB International found that the School of Management actively supports young interdisciplinary entrepreneurs’ ambititions by offering a general education course on introduction to entrepreneurship and offers many programs and activities through the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation such as an idea pitch “Zillion Solutions” competition and the Summer Entrepreneurship Institute for high school students. The Center works closely with the Entrepreneurs Society student organization which has its own entrepreneurship speaker series.
School of Management Interim Dean Yener Kandogan and faculty members Mark Simon, Cathy Miller, Keith Kelley, and Scott Johnson were critical to the successful completion of the continuous improvement review report. We thank everyone involved for their time and the AACSB peer review team that evaluated the School.